Fire-escape



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

S. T. MICKEY.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 277,049. M Patented May 8,1883.

' .dttorney NA man; mmuuwppm wnmmm. n. c.

(No Model.)

` WITNESSES s. T. MICKEY.

PIRE ESCAPE.4

N. PETERS, mxo-urhqraphu. washington. D. Cy

Patented May 8,}}83.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

u (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

s. T. MICKEY.

EIEE ESCAPE. No. 277,049. Patented May 8,1883.

0(WITJyEns'sEs l LUV VENT I W* 9 E@ f v Attorneys',

UNITED STAT-Es PATIENT o'zFxFIC-E..

vSAMUEL T. MICKEY, OF SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

FI RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 277,049,'dated May 8, 1883.

Y v Application filed January 8,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. MICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape,`of' which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. j

This invention relates to nre-escapes, and has for its object to provide a. simple, inexpensive, and eflcent means of escape, that will be perl'ectly burglar-proof` and safe from the depreda-tions of malicious persons, that can be automatically thrown into yposition for use, and that will he secure when in position for use vagainst being blown over or displaced by the wind or otherforces. v

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective I view of my improved dre-escapewhen in position l'or use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken through the lireescape and the building to which it is applied. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the escape when out of operation. Fig. 4 is a vvertical sectional viewin detail,illustratingthel alarm mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View ofthe double ladder mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a telescopic tower that is formed ot' several sections, B, B2, B3, B4, and B5, respectively, which, when not in use, areconcealed in a burglarproot' vault, C., under the sidewalk D, or at any other desired'point. These telescoping sections of the escape-tower are all received into the lower or base section', B, when not in use, and they are retained in Vthe vault C by trap doors E E, as shown. The sections are preferably formed rectangular, and the basesection B is provided with an inturned flange, b, at its top, and under -this flange b projects Y. acorresponding flange, b2, that extends from the lower edge ofthe nextsection, B2. In like manner the sectionA B2 is provided with an inthe top section, B5. These flanges of' the difwardly and rest on the sill G ot' the window H, thereby forming a bridge between the window and the tower. These doors are preferably provided with perforations f, that are received over pins or nibs I, projecting from the sill of' the window, by which arrangement the doors are held firmly in position when they are down, and also serve to steady the tower. To enable the doors to be governed from the ground, a line, J, extends-from the top of the door up over a pulley, K, inside thesection, and to the bottom of the tower, whereits low. er end, L, is weighted to break the fall of the door to the window-sill. By means ot' thisline J the door may be raised when it is desired to lower the sections into the base-section, and may be otherwise governed from the ground.v

The top M of the top-section, B5, (or only a portion of the top, if preferred,l is hinged on the side next the building, so that the said4 top can be thrown over to the roof N of' the building to form abridge thereto for theuse of firemen, or to persons to escape from an adjoining building by way of the root.

The trap-doors E E, that cover the vault `inl the sidewalk, can be opened from either the inside or outside ofl the building, and when they are opened the tower will rise automatically bymeans of the following mechanism:

At cachot' the upper corners of the lower section of the tower isjourualed a pulley, O,over which passes a rope or cable, P,thatissecured to the lower edge of the second section, B2, as shown at Q, and is provided at its lower end with a heavy weight, R. The weights R must be sufficiently heavy to overbalauce the combined weight of all the sections of the tower above the base-section, and also the hoisting and escape mechanism in them. From inside the lower section, B, entendV cords or cables S, that pass up and over pulleys T, journaled at the top of the second section, B2, and

IOO

are securedto the lower portion of the next upper section, B3. In like manner ropes or cables U extend up and over pulleys V, journaled at the top of the third section, B3, and are secured to the lower portion of the next section, B4. W are like cables, that extend up and over pulleys X, journaled at the top of the fourth section, B4, and secured to.the lower portion of the top section, B3. The elevatingcables S UW are securedat their bottom either to one of the lower sections, as shown, or to the bottom of the vault. By means of this mechanism, when the trap-door releases the telescoped sections of the tower by being opened, the cables P P will be drawn down by the weights It, which will cause the next section, B2, to be elevated out of the base-section B, and simultaneously with this movement of the section B2 the remaining upper sections will also be raised by means of the cable-connections between the different sections. Where more telescoping sections are provided than I have herein shown, cach additional section is provided with a like arrangement of connecting-cables. y

To provide for any emergency, should the weights for any reason fail to perform their function ot' automatically extending the tower, I prefer to have a duplicate arrangement of cables, P2 P2, that are arranged like cables P P, except that their lower ends, instead of be- Y be used to operate this drum.

When the tower has ascended to its full height suitable props (not shown in the drawings) are designed to be placed or to move automatically under the edge ofthe second section, B3, to provide an auxiliary support while the tower is extended. y

From the different sections, at both sides, extend two bars or rods, A3, that are provided with T-heads B,which slidein parallel guides G3, secured vertically on the building, as the tower is extended. Besides serving as guides for the different sections as the tower is extended, these rods A3 also serve to brace and steady the tower against wind or other forces when it is in position for use. To facilitate movement ot the T-heads ot' the said rods in the continuous guides on the building, the heads B8 are provided with friction-rollers D3, as shown.

E3 E3 designate beams that are hinged toA yF3 being folded up against the building when the beams E3 are in their normal vertical position against the side of the building. rlhese beams are held in this normal position by the latter rise.

ysecond section B3. By means of this mechanism, When the said section B2 rises as the tower is extended, theliues H3 are gradually released,

so as to permit the beams E3 to gradually fall to a horizontal position, when it will be supported by the braces F3. These beams are of proper dimensions to embrace the tower, and this they do `automatically as the sections of Besides serving to steady the tower, these beams E3 can be utilized to support a chain-bridge, L3, of any suitable construction, by which inmates of the house can escape from the window to the tower. The bridge may be used to connect the building and the tower, as above described; or it may be arranged, iu connection with its supportingbeams, independentot the tower, so that it can be let down,in case of emergency, to give passage to an elevated railwayin the street, or to meet a similar structure extending from the building on the opposite side of the street. The beams E3, that embrace the tower, may be arranged at any or all of the windows contiguous to the tower, and have weights Z7 Z7, attached to their outer ends, which, by reason ot connecting-lines H3, assist in raising the tower. The rear ends ofthe beams E2 are provided with an angular arm, P3, that projects IOO from the under side and extends into the building, where, as the beams fall in case of tire, it

engages the springsupport Q3 of a bell, R3, and thereby causes the latter to sound an alarm.

Journaled in the upper section ofthe tower is a cylindrical roller or drum, S3, over which runs the middle portion of a double flexible ladder, T3, the ends of which are secured respectively to parallel drums U3 U3, journaled in the lower section of the tower. These drums carry pinions or gear-wheels V3 at one end that are adapted to be separately or jointly engaged by a large gear-wheel, W3, intermediately arranged, and provided with a crank, X3, by which it may be operated. By throwing the gear-wheel into engagement with the pinion of the drum at eitherk side, which can be eifected by any well-known shifting inechanism, the flexibleladder is wound down on that drum and fed from the other drum over the cylindrical roller S3 at the top of the tower. Thus one side of the ladder travels upwardly, and can be used to carry firemen or others that it may be desirable to transport to the top of the building, while the other side of the ladder travels downwardly, and carries the inmates of the house who wish to escape. When the operating gear-wheel W3 is thrown into engagement with both the pinions of the ladderwindiug drums, the ladder is wound at the same time on both dru-ms, which overcomes the gravity of the weights R R and draws the sections of the tower down IOS IIO

, present a compartment.

into telescoped position in the vault. Bythis means the tower is yreturned to its normal position when it is desired to throw'it out of position for use,

To enable the escape apparatus to be thrown" into position foroperating from Vthe interior of `the building, the bolt or catch Y, that retains the trap-doors of thevault down, is connected with a cord, Z3. that runs over suitably-disposed pulleys A5 up into the building, and is provided with a suitable knob, C5, or other means at each door whereby the said cord can be operated to draw the bolt. rlhe trapdoors are instantly forced open after the withdrawal of the-bolt by springs D5, when the tower automatically rises, and the embracingbeams E3 automatically fall by reason of their own weight.

The doors of each section of the tower are retained closed until the proper time by a springcatch, E5, at their top, When the tower has ascended to its proper height', the top flange ofthe next lower section engages a projecting nib, F5, that is connected by a cord, G5, with said retaining-spring, and the latter is caused to release the door, when the latter is started out of perpendicular by spring H5. At the same time the said flange engages another nib, H5, that is pivoted to a strip, J5, engagingthe door, and acts as alever to throw the door out, so that it falls to a horizontal position, as before described.

The operation and advantages of my inven` tion will be readily understood. The escapev mechanism is completely protected from the weather, and cannot be tampered with or used by burglars or other unauthorized persons. The mechanism may be connected with the city tire-alarm, if desired.

rI'he sides ofthe tower next to the building are to be protected by sheet metal, asbestus cloth, or any other tire-proof material, so as to protect them from the heat and flames in case of fire. If preferred, only a frame-work may be used to support the escape-ladder instead of the inclosed tower herein described, the frame-work being constructed of telescopi c sections and operated in the same manner as the sections of the tower. Also, if desired, the tower, instead of beinginclosed in a vault, may be built on-a platform that can be easily transported from place to place.

M5designates baskets or cars, thatare adapted to be removably clamped 'on the flexible ladder, and to be used to transport invalids and children to the ground, as the cars travel with the ladder. 'Ihese cars are provided with a bottom, N5, centrally arranged, so that if the car is carried over the ladder-drum in the top section of the tower its utility will not be destroyed by its position, since it will always 'Ihese carsor baskets may also be advantageously used to carry merchandise, goods, furniture, &c., from t-he burning building.

I am aware that telescopic fire-escapes have before been extended by substantially the herein-described system of ropes and pulleys operated by hand-power applied to a drum; but in my invention vthe operation is automatically performed by means of the weight system at the bottom, as above described.

' I claim as my inventionl. Afire-escape composed of telescoping sections normally disposed in a vault having a top door or cover, said telescoping sections being arranged to rise and form an escape-tower when the cover of the vault is opened, as set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a tower composed of telescoping sections, of means for extending these sections, consisting` substantially of mechanism as follows: ropes or cables passing` up and over pulleys journaled atl the top of the lower section and secured to the lower portion of the next section, said cables being provided with weights on their ends to overbalance the upper sections of the tower, as set forth.

3. The combination, with a building having continuous guides arranged on the outside of the wall, of a {ire-escape composed of telescoping sections normally disposed in a vault and capable of rising to provide an escape-tower, Said section being provided with lateral rods having T-heads that slidein the guides on the building as the tower is being extended, as set forth. y

4. In a tire-escape, an escape-tower com posed of telescoping sections. in combination with beams hinged to the building and arranged to embrace the tower to brace it from lateral displacement while in use, as set forth.

5. The combination of an escape-tower composed of telescoping sections, beams hinged to the building to provide a means of escape from the latter to the tower, and provided with lines for returning them to their normal position against the side of the house, and the said returning-lines extending from the outer ends of the beams up over pulleys and down, and secured to the lower section of the tower, as Set forth. I

6. rIhe combination of an escape-tower eomposed of telescoping sections,'and having a roller or drum at its top and two parallel drums at its bottom, with a iiexible ladder that runs over the top drum and winds on the bottom drum, the latter being provided with gear mechanism that is adapted to be engaged by an intermediate gear-wheel, either separately or jointly, as set forth.

7. In a tire-escape, the combination, with the iexible ladder arranged to run over aroller or drum at its middle portion, of a car or basket (one or more) having an about centrallyarranged bottom, so that the car has a compartment on both sides the bottom, as set forth.

8. 1n a tire-escape, the combination, with a bell supported inside the building by a springbracket, of a beam hinged to the outsideof the building and carrying at its hinged end a IOC fog

projecting angular bracket that is adapted to engage the spring-bracket when the beam is lowered, as set forth.

9. A ireescape tower composed of telescoping sections corresponding in height to one story of the building, the top of the top section being provided with a hinged section or portion thatis to be thrown over on its hinges to the roof ot' the building so as to form an escape-bridge from the root' to the tower, as set forth. v

10. In a lire-escape, the combination of an escape-tower, composed of telescoping sections normally' disposed in a vault having a cover, a flexible ladder adapted to wind over or on drums arranged inside the tower, beams hinged to the building at each side the sill ofthe Window, and supported by jointed braces likewise hinged to the building, the said beams being arranged to embrace the tower when it is in position for use, and lines for returning the beams to their normal position against the side of the building, which extend from the outer 'the vault adapted to contain an escape-tower composed of telescopic sections, and provided with' a spring-actuated cover or door having a securing-bolt, ot' an operating-cord secured to the said bolt and extending through the adjoining building, and provided with knobs or their equivalents'whereby the cord mayv be drawn tooperate the bolt which releases the cover of the vault, as set forth. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses Z. G. HEGE, J W. ALSPAUGH. 

